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Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Following a disastrous end to the 2009 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone through some pretty significant changes. Gone are head coach Jon Gruden, general manager Bruce Allen and starting quarterback Jeff Garcia.

That's what happens when you haven't won a playoff game since 2002 and closed out your season on a four-game losing streak.

Hours after Jon Gruden was fired as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, news surfaced that his assistant Raheem Morris would replace him.

ESPN is reporting that Morris will be introduced as the Bucs' new head coach on Saturday, and that Mark Dominik will replace Bruce Allen as general manager.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen.

The news, first reported by Adam Schefter of NFL Network, represents a stunning fall from grace for Gruden, who was the toast of the league after winning the Super Bowl following the 2002 season. But in the six seasons since then, the Bucs actually have a sub-.500 record under Gruden.

Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer released the following statement:

Thanks to the reminder from eagle-eyed reader Paula LaBourdette, I owe ESPN's Chris Mortensen an apology for questioning his reportin' skillz. Earlier this month, Mortensen said Brett Favre was contemplating un-retirement, Favre denied the rumors, and I accused Mort of being wrong (again).

That's what I get for putting all my eggs in the "No way Favre comes back" basket. In any event, Chris was right, I was wrong. Virtual high-fives and group hugs all around.

Related to all this, Joe Theismann, who has been hiding in a bunker somewhere since he left the WWL last year, has some thoughts on where Favre will likely end up. Jeff Garcia will not be happy.

"I think the odds are better than 50-50 Favre ends up with the Bucs," former Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Theismann said Wednesday. "If Brett Favre plays football in 2008, I think it's in Tampa."

The Tampa Tribune's Ira Kaufman writes that the Buccaneers have done nothing to quell the rumors which, again, can't make Garcia all that jazzed about the current situation. In fact, during a Tuesday conference call, general manager Bruce Allen "had every opportunity to declare ... Garcia will remain the starting quarterback this fall after leading Tampa Bay to an NFC South title in 2007. ... Instead, he suggested that reporters should talk to the Packers or Favre himself."

Four days after quarterback Chris Simms said he feels like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are holding him hostage, Bucs general manager Bruce Allen and coach Jon Gruden have fired back at Simms. Said Allen:

"I think his advisers pulled a PR stunt," Allen said. "I don't think it portrays Chris well. That's not the Chris I've talked to on the phone. But I can't worry about that. We have too many players who are trying to help this team win and those are the players we're going to focus on."

Said Gruden:

"I like Chris Simms. I don't necessarily agree with everything he said. But I'm going to coach the quarterbacks who are here. I am really excited about the guys who are here. I wish Chris and his situation well. But that's the last I'll address it. He made his statements and unfortunately that's all I can say. I like Jeff Garcia and I prefer talking about him, Brian Griese and Luke McCown at this point."